1212- Contemplations. L1n. x1x:- In how high fcorne doth God cake it eo bechus bafely undervalued by rude hea- A then~ This very mif-opinion concerning the God oflfrael fltall cofi the Syrians a lhamefull and perfeCt delhueti?n; _They may call~ Counfell o_fWar, and Jay their heads together and change theu_Kmgs me? Captamc_s, and thm hills into val!eyes, but they lhall findemoregraves m the plames, then m the mountaines; This very mif:prifon ofGod fltall makeAhab(chough he -nere more lewd)vietorious·An hundred thoufand Syrians fl101l full inone day, bythofe ti:w hands oflfrael; A~da dead wall in Aphtk (eo whofe lhelterthey fled) fltall revenge God upon the reil that remained; The llones in the walllhall rather turne executioners, then a blafphe111ous Aramite fltall efcapeunrevcnged. Somuch doth the jealous God hate to be robd of his glory, even by ignorant Pagans,whofe tongues might feeme no llander. That proud head of Btnh.ulad,that fpoke fuch big words of the dull oflfrael,&[wore by B his gods,that he would kill and conquer,is now glad to hide it felfe in a blinde hole of Aphtk; and now!" llead ?f q·uellioning the powerofche God oflfrael, is glad eo heareofche mercy ofthe Kmgs oflfrael, Behold, now, we have heardthat theKings ofthe h. ufo oflfraelare mtr<if111KiNgs; Lu tU, I pray thee, put fackclothsn o•r loints, andrepeson o•r heads; andgot ollt to the King ofI(rael,ptradventnre he ••illfave thy life. There can be no more powerfull attraCtive ofhumble fubmillion,then the intimation and conceit ofmercy ; We do at oncefeare, and hate the inexorable; This is it, 0 Lord, thatalluresustothy throne ofgrace, the knowledgeofthegraceof tlm throne; with thee is mercy and plenteous redemption; thine hand is open be· fore our mouths, before our heans; If,we did not fee thee fmile upon fuicers, we durll not preffe to thy footftoole;Behold now weknow that the JGng ofheaven,che C GodofHrael, is amercifull Gbd; Let us put Sackcloth upon our loines, and ftrew alhesupon ourheads,&gomeet the Lord God ofllrael,tnat he may fave our fouls. How well•cloth this habit become infolent,and blafphcmous Benhadadand his .follower~ a,rope,and fack-cloth~ A ropefor a crowne,fack-cloth for a robe·Neither is there lelfe change in the tongue,ThJ forvAnt Btnhadad faith, I pray thu lt~ mi five. Even now theKingoflfraelfaidto Benh.ul•d,My Lord 8 King ,I am thine~Ttll my Lord the King, all'tldat thou didft (end for to th] (ervant,I wi8doe : Now Bewh•d•dfendsto the Kmgof Ifrael, TllJforv•nt Bmhadad faid, I pray thee/et me li':le:He chat was ere while a Lord & King, is now a fervant; and he that was a fervanttothe Kin~ofSyria,is now his Lord:he that WGuld blow away all Ifrael ig dull, is now glad to beg for his own-life at the doore of a defpifed·enemy; no courage is fo haughty, which D the God ofHolls cannot ealily bring under ; what are men or Devils in thofe AI· mighty hands~ • The greatenhe deje~ion was, the llronger was the motive ofcommiferation; Th:u: halter ple:rded for life,aMthatplea but for a life,ftirredthe bowels for favour: Howreadily did 'Ah•b Ice in Rmh.ulads fudden miferytheimage oftheinftability ofal humlme things~and relents at the view offo deepe and p1flionate a fubmillio: Had not Benh.uld fa id, Thy ftrv4nt; Mhab thdd'never faid, liJ brother; feldome ever wasthere lolfc:in humility;howin,uch lelfe can we fearedifparagement, in the annihilating ofour !'dves,bcfore that infinite Majelly~ the drowning man fnarchesat e- . ve•:ytwig;lt is.no m1rvellifthe mdfeogers ofBenhadadcatcht hallily atthu laftof graceand hold it fall, Thy Brother Benh.ul4d;Favours arewont to drawoneachother: E Kindnelfes b<eed on themfe!ves·; neither need we any other perfwaGon to beneficentc,then from our own a•'ls• .;t!Jab cals forehe King of Syria, fets him in hisown Charer; tr<llts with him of.an eafie(yct firme) league, gives him both his life,and hisKinndome. Neither is the Crowne ofSyri•loonerlOll, then recovered; Onely he that"came a free Prince, rcru••nes tributary: Onelr hiS ttiine is cliP.' ~oo fl1ort I fot his wingsN1n hundred twenty feven thoofand Syrr<ns ~te abated of QIS Guard, homeward. Blafphemy bathefcaped too wdi,Ahab hathat once peace With Benha: ; daJ, warre with God; God proclaims it by his Herald~ one ?f the fonnes of~l1< ) Prophets; not yet in his own forme, but d•fglllfed, both m falh10n, andcom!'lamt; Ic,was a ftrange fuit ofa Prophet, Smittme I pray tlm; Many a Prophet was_fmJtten,and would not; never any but this wilhed to be fmltten; fhe reil of hiS fel· i !owes.
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